Game of Thrones fans flocking to Croatia ahead of finale

Since it first premiered in 2011, Croatia has been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Perched on the coast of the Adriatic Sea and known for its cities of terracotta roofed buildings and cobbled streets and its dramatic countryside, it is obvious why the producers chose it as a location for the fantasy drama. Fans will instantly recognise Dubrovnik as the setting for King’s Landing, the streets of Split for the Slave Rebellion and Fort Loverijenac for the Battle of the Blackwater.

Such is the popularity of the show it has seen Croatia enjoy a tourism boost as ‘set-jetters’ flock from all corners of the world to see where the famous scenes took place. As Game of Thrones prepares to air its eighth and final series in April 2019, demand from British holidaymakers wanting to visit the Adriatic coast is expected to rise.

Research from Broadway Travel found that Croatia is expected to attract more tourists in the build-up to the new series with Dubrovnik and Split among the main beneficiaries. The company noted that holidaymakers are tending to favour short breaks to traditional two-week holidays.

Tom Davies, head of marketing at Broadway Travel, said: “2019 looks to be a big year for European cities, and it is great to see people in the UK making the most of all the beautiful destinations we have so close to home.

“One trend that particularly resonated with us was the continued increase in UK holidaymakers visiting Croatia, following its starring role in Game of Thrones.”

Another of the famous Game of Thrones locations recently succumbed to nature. The Azure Window in Gozo – used as a backdrop for the Daenerys and Khal Drogo’s wedding in season one – collapsed into the ocean during heavy weather in 2017.